Adjuster assembly

Abstract

An adjuster assembly for manually adjusting the position of a brake pad relative to a brake rotor of a disc brake, the assembly comprising: a continuous wear sensor; and a manual rewind apparatus to manually reset the position of the brake pad when replacement thereof is required; the manual rewind apparatus comprising a shaft arranged to extend into a housing of the disc brake; wherein the continuous wear sensor is arranged to be located within the housing of the disc brake and is located proximate to the shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A brake caliper assembly comprising:
 a brake caliper having a housing; and 
 a manual rewind apparatus for manually resetting a position of a brake pad relative to a brake disc when replacement thereof is required, the manual rewind apparatus including:
 a rewind tool engaging component; 
 an adjuster shaft extending from the rewind tool engaging component, the rewind tool engaging component and the adjuster shaft defining a transmission path to a brake pad engaging portion of a disc brake; 
 a cover that substantially surrounds a portion of the adjuster shaft and mounts the manual rewind apparatus to the housing; and 
 a cap mounted to the cover and configured to cover an outermost end of the rewind tool engaging component; 
 
 wherein the transmission path comprises a clutch mechanism configured to slip at a predetermined torque; and 
 wherein the manual rewind apparatus is provided as a single assembly that is fittable and removable from the housing of the brake caliper. 
 
     
     
       2. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 1  wherein the clutch mechanism is integral to the rewind tool engaging component and the adjuster shaft. 
     
     
       3. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 2  wherein the clutch mechanism comprises a first clutch portion integral to the rewind tool engaging component and a second clutch portion integral to the adjuster shaft, and wherein the first and second clutch portions are configured to slip with respect to one another at the predetermined torque. 
     
     
       4. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 3  wherein the first and second clutch portions comprise corresponding teeth configured to drivingly engage with one another up to the predetermined torque and to slip with respect to one another beyond that predetermined torque. 
     
     
       5. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 4  wherein an angle of the teeth is configured to define the predetermined torque. 
     
     
       6. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 5  wherein the teeth comprise first corresponding faces at a first angle and second corresponding faces at a second angle. 
     
     
       7. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 3  wherein the first clutch portion is a plastic material. 
     
     
       8. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 4  wherein the teeth of at least one of the first clutch portion and the second clutch portion are curved. 
     
     
       9. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 4  wherein the teeth of at least one of the first clutch portion and the second clutch portion are resilient. 
     
     
       10. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 9  wherein a void is defined between each tooth of at least one of the first clutch portion and the rewind tool engaging component or the second clutch portion and the adjuster shaft. 
     
     
       11. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 4  wherein the teeth extend in an axial direction. 
     
     
       12. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 4  wherein the teeth extend in a radial direction. 
     
     
       13. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 1  wherein the clutch mechanism is configured to slip at a first predetermined torque in a first direction and at a second predetermined torque in a second direction. 
     
     
       14. The brake caliper assembly of  claim 1  wherein the manual rewind apparatus comprises a sensor configured to detect attachment of the cap. 
     
     
       15. A disc brake assembly comprising:
 a brake caliper including a caliper housing; and 
 an adjuster assembly for adjusting a position of a brake pad relative to a brake disc so as to maintain a suitable running clearance between the brake pad and the brake disc, the adjuster assembly including a continuous wear sensor and a manual rewind apparatus, the manual rewind apparatus including:
 a rewind tool engaging component; 
 an adjuster shaft extending from the rewind tool engaging component, the rewind tool engaging component and the adjuster shaft defining a transmission path to a brake pad engaging portion of the disc brake; 
 a cover that substantially surrounds a portion of the adjuster shaft, wherein the cover defines a first aperture that receives the continuous wear sensor and a second aperture that receives at least one of the rewind tool engaging component and the adjuster shaft: and wherein the cover comprises a first face defining said first and second apertures; and 
 a cap mounted to the cover and configured to cover an outermost end of the rewind tool engaging component; and 
 
 wherein the transmission path comprises a clutch mechanism configured to slip at a predetermined torque. 
 
     
     
       16. The disc brake assembly of  claim 15  wherein the first face is planar. 
     
     
       17. The disc brake assembly of  claim 16  wherein the caliper housing comprises a first opening that receives a portion of the adjuster shaft and a second opening that receives a portion of the continuous wear sensor, the first and second openings being arranged on the same plane to contact the first face of the cover. 
     
     
       18. The disc brake assembly of  claim 15  wherein the cap is releasably mounted to the cover so as to protect the manual rewind apparatus. 
     
     
       19. The disc brake assembly of  claim 15  wherein the cover comprises a third aperture and a fastener is inserted through the third aperture to mount the cover to the caliper housing. 
     
     
       20. A manual rewind apparatus for manually resetting a position of a brake pad relative to a brake disc when replacement thereof is required, the manual rewind apparatus comprising:
 a rewind tool engaging component; 
 an adjuster shaft extending from the rewind tool engaging component, the rewind tool engaging component and the adjuster shaft defining a transmission path to a brake pad engaging portion of a disc brake; 
 a cover that substantially surrounds a portion of the adjuster shaft; and 
 a cap mounted to the cover and configured to cover an outermost end of the rewind tool engaging component; 
 wherein the transmission path comprises a clutch mechanism configured to slip at a predetermined torque; 
 wherein the manual rewind apparatus is provided as a single assembly that is fittable and removable from a housing of the disc brake; 
 wherein the clutch mechanism is integral to the rewind tool engaging component and the adjuster shaft, the clutch mechanism including a first clutch portion integral to the rewind tool engaging component and a second clutch portion integral to the adjuster shaft, and wherein the first and second clutch portions are configured to slip with respect to one another at the predetermined torque; 
 wherein the first and second clutch portions comprise corresponding teeth configured to drivingly engage with one another up to the predetermined torque and to slip with respect to one another beyond that predetermined torque, wherein each tooth has a first face and a second face, the second face is disposed substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis about which the first and second clutch portions are rotatable, the first face is disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the first face and the longitudinal axis, and wherein an angle of the teeth is configured to define the predetermined torque. 
 
     
     
       21. The manual rewind apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the clutch mechanism is configured to slip at a first predetermined torque in a first direction and at a second predetermined torque in a second direction.